Smartphones are playing a crucial role in supporting a new hybrid work environment, with almost 70 per cent of Irish people relying on their smartphone for work and almost a third saying they needed them to be productive, according to new research.
That may not come as a big surprise to most people, given how many functions a smartphone has taken over in recent years, but the research from Samsung Ireland indicates that smartphones are playing an increasingly larger role in supporting work habits.
Study
Almost a quarter of people said they use their mobile devices consistently throughout the working day, while 13 per cent admitted to being on their phones all the time.
That is particularly pronounced among younger age groups. Among those classed as “millennials”, 76 per cent rely on their phones to do their jobs, with 26 per cent saying they checked on their devices “consistently”. Almost half said they would be lost without their devices.
The survey, conducted on behalf of Samsung Ireland by Opinion Matters, surveyed more than 1,000 people.
Samsung Ireland's Paul Toland said the level of adoption of smartphones within the work environment was one of the more striking element of the study.
“We are all reliant on our devices,” he said. “ But we have become much more reliant on devices, both from a personal and a work perspective over the past 18 months. That has accelerated since the pandemic.”
He said there was a blurring of lines between personal and work lives, pointing to the increasing number of people using their smartphone for work purposes. “It’s very high and is significantly higher than it would have been certainly pre-pandemic.”
Smartphones have become increasingly linked into our lives, taking over everyday tasks such as shopping, socialising and banking.
Multitask
Other technology such as tablets still have their place in the market, but Mr Toland said it was more likely that people would go for larger screen sizes as technology such as foldable phones became more commonplace.
Some 60 per cent said they needed technology to multitask effectively, with 63 per cent saying they watch or play something on their phones while watching TV. In addition to that, 30 per cent of 16-25 year olds admitting to using their phones while at the cinema, but only 13 per cent would sneak a text at a christening.
Some 62 per cent of people will not leave the house without their smartphone
More than 70 per cent of people said they wanted better battery life from their phones, with 61 per cent looking for a smashproof device and almost 60 per cent prizing a waterproof device.
